Float Entry Deadline for City's 175th Parade Extended to May 1

The deadline is quickly approaching to enter a float in the city’s 175th birthday parade to be held Memorial Day weekend.

The deadline for parade applications and entry fees has been extended to Thursday, May 1.

Applications can be picked up and returned at the Downtown Washington Inc. office in the old post office. For more information, people may call 314-952-1878 or email washmo175parade@gmail.com.

People also may call Mary Kay Daugherty, 636-448-4568, or or Danny Tobben, 636-667-7215.

The dates of two informational meetings for parade participants also have been changed. A representative from each group is asked to attend one of the two meetings, scheduled for Wednesday, May 14 or Thursday, May 15, both beginning at 7 p.m. at the Bank of Washington, fourth floor meeting room.

The parade will take place Saturday, May 24, beginning at 11 a.m. in Downtown Washington.

Judy Tobben and Moira Vossbrink are the parade co-chairs.

Tobben said the parade will highlight and honor the history, traditions and generations of people who have and still call Washington home.

Businesses, organizations, schools, churches and other group are all invited to participate, she said.

“This is such an important event and it only comes around every 25 years,” Tobben said. “For the 150th celebration, we had a huge parade with many floats and we really want that to happen again for the 175th.”

The grand marshal will be local historian Ralph Gregory, 104, a World War II veteran, who has been researching this area’s history for more than five decades.

All participants are required to have decorations on their entries which reference Washington’s history. All floats must be built on a flatbed and not on the back of a pickup truck.

No political entries and no alcohol will be allowed in or around the parade.

Tobben said a highlight of the city’s 150th anniversary parade were the world-famous Clydesdales, which are returing for the 175th parade.

An optional judging contest will be held for the floats. Prizes will be awarded. The first-place float will win $100; second place, $75; and third place, $50.

Awards will be announced at the 175th anniversary picnic at the fairgrounds immediately following the parade.

Theme Floats

The parade also will feature seven theme floats representing 175 years of Freedom, Education, Industry, Commerce, Agriculture, Family Life and Volunteerism.

The parade committee earlier held a contest for float sketches. The floats will be built by local service organizations with seed money from the committee.

The selected float designers will be recognized on the floats and on all parade materials, Tobben said.

“The float themes epitomize what we all love about Washington,” she said.

Parade Route

The parade will begin at Second and Locust streets, near the Lucinda Owens house. Owens is the founder of Washington.

The parade will travel north on Locust to Main Street; west on Main to Elm Street; south on Elm to Fifth Street; west on Fifth to High Street; north on High to the city park swimming pool lot.

Parade officials will then direct entries to either Front Street or to the fairgrounds.

Other Activities

A community picnic with live music, food, contests and other activities will immediately follow the parade. The picnic will be held from noon to 7 p.m. in the city fairgrounds, near the main stage.

The following day, Sunday, May 25, 2014, a dedication of the Owens Monument will take place in Krog Memorial Park.

Another anniversary event in 2014 will be an invitational antique vehicle display Sunday, Oct. 5, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Front Street.

To help kick off the yearlong celebration, a 175th anniversary gala was held Feb. 22. A similar event was held during the city’s sesquicentennial celebration.

Co-chairs of the 175th anniversary committee are Nadine Feltmann and Joe Schneider. The committee has been meeting for about two years, and several subcommittees have been formed to help with the different activities.